Twins!

In the summer of 2010, when Fawzia was holidaying in Outer Banks, North Carolina, she  bought a matching outfit for Shannon's mother Anna so they could be "twins".  

In Fawzia's Memory

Ishara Fernando lives in Boralessa, a village 30 miles north of Colombo, where our home "Pondside" is located. She is 10 years old and studies in Grade 5. Her father, Gamini, is a day laborer. He has three daughters and two have cleft lips. His wife is severely epileptic.

Ishara was examined by Dr. Romesh Gunasekera, a reconstructive surgeon. The note the doctor wrote is copied below. 

Doctor's Note

This child, Ishara Fernando, has been born with a cleft lip and cleft palate. The total cost of the operation which has to be done in 2 stages will be around Rs. 250,000. The first stage will be re do of lip and the front palate. The second stage after 6 months will be the the back of the palate.

Dr. Romesh Gunasekera

MBBS, MS, FRCS

Before surgery

Both  surgeries have now been completed at a cost of Rs. 300,000 (about US$2,500.) American donors contributed $800. 

Ishara now speaks without a lisp and attends school, no longer fearful of being taunted by her schoolmates.

After

Fawzia Braine Memorial Award

Fawzia Braine Memorial Award

For the Best Journal Article Published by a Novice Scholar

Fawzia Braine taught English for more than 30 years in Sri Lanka, the Sultanate of Oman, and Hong Kong. She qualified and served as a librarian in the United States. Fawzia was a lecturer in English at Hong Kong Shue Yan University when she passed away in January, 2012. She had been a supporter of HAAL for many years.

This annual award amounting to HK$2,500 is made in her memory to a novice scholar (postgraduate student or a recent graduate) of a university in Hong Kong for a journal article published in an international referred journal in applied linguistics.

The award is given through the Hong Kong Association for Applied Linguistics (HAAL).